Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Ribbons of zucchini can instantly transform a simple salad into something elegant; not only does it look pretty, grilling the vegetable adds a special element of flavor.

INGREDIENTS

1 zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
1 carrot, grated
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Sugar snap peas, cut into thirds
Blue cheese crumbles (substitute feta or shaved Parmesan)
Walnuts, chopped and toasted (substitute hazelnuts, pine nuts or slivered almonds)

DIRECTIONS

Start by washing the vegetables. Next, cut off the ends of the zucchini and summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, cut the zucchini and summer squash into strips, stopping and rotating when you see the seeds.

Grill the strips of zucchini and summer squash on a stove-top grill (or a sauté pan coated with a tiny bit of olive oil), they only take a couple of minutes, so keep a careful eye on them. Let the strips cool completely before adding to your salad.

For the salad base, use your favorite lettuce, I’m partial to butter lettuce or hearts of romaine. Toss in the grated carrot, sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes. Lay your zucchini strips on top, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and toasted walnuts.

To finish, drizzle with a vinaigrette of 3 parts extra virgin olive oil whisked into 1 part balsamic vinegar, a touch of Dijon and a crushed garlic clove. Add honey and omit out the garlic if you want a slightly sweeter dressing. (Your favorite prepared salad dressing would work too).

If you make this recipe, snap a pic of your dish and hashtag it #kellylenihancooks. I'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter!

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